When bowel movements become unusually frequent, loose and watery, or both, it is diarrhea. The range of normal for bowel habit is highly variable among individuals. Generally, if an individual is having more than three bowel movements daily, particularly if they are loose and if the volume seems large, there is cause to investigate the possibility of diarrhea. If a patient has a change in customary bowel habit, although it may not exceed these limits, there is cause for further investigation.